Its design is largely an open floor plan, with a tall living room flowing into a library. The former area features floor-to-ceiling windows giving onto the patio; the latter area features floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves. These shelves are constructed with mahogany from Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony.

A spacious dining area looks out onto the backyard. A huge and modern kitchen, gleaming with stainless steel, offers a double oven, upscale gas stove, breakfast bar, and wine storage.

"The first three decades of the twentieth century witnessed a great increase in the work of the firm [which] carried out some 500 commissions, many of those coming in the 1890s. By the onset of the Great Depression of the 1930s, that number had increased to 2,500. The years prior to the First World War were the firm's most active period, involving the planning of extensive park systems for a dozen metropolitan areas ... residential subdivisions and suburban communities"

On the acreage today are 107 homes and a few vacant lots for sale that could become custom-built homes.

The community is overseen by an elected Board of Trustees, a full-time General Manager, and staff that includes "administrators landscapers, and security officers to provide 24/7 support and service to members of The Highlands," says the Highlands website.

On the grounds are wooded walking trails, tennis courts, a community swimming pool, private beach access, a preschool, and chapel. Events such as classical music concerts are common.

The property abuts the Seattle Golf Club, recently redesigned by none other than Arnold Palmer. It's also walkable to the Sound.

The deal

The home itself asks $3.45 million. But that's not the only expense. Prospective buyers of Highlands homes also undergo an extensive background check, and if approved, pay a $25,000 initiation fee.

There's also a monthly HOA payment of $1,850, fees which obviously go directly to maintaining the private, away-from-it-all luxury of the Highlands -- which, incredibly, is only about 20 minutes from the bustle of downtown Seattle.

Anna Marie Erwert writes from both the renter and new buyer perspective, having (finally) achieved both statuses. She focuses on national real estate trends, specializing in the San Francisco Bay Area and Pacific Northwest. Follow Anna on Twitter: @AnnaMarieErwert.